This is tick week at NEWS CENTER Maine,
and our goal is to give you all of
the latest data and science to better
protect you, your kids and your pets.
Already this week we have focused on
vaccines and prep shots being developed
to stop Lyme disease in its tracks.
Tonight we're looking at a newly
discovered bacteria spread by
deer ticks and what it can do.
New Center new Center means Vivian
Leigh is here to tell us why this
pathogen is being tracked at the
University of Maine Tick Lab. Hi Viv.
Hi Sam and Pat.
Well the bacteria is called wait for it.
It's a mouthful. Borrelia miyamotoi.
I got it this time and it is related
to Lyme disease and the CDC says
that it can cause relapsing fevers.
Now researchers say though so far that
this pathogen is only being found in a
very small percentage of deer ticks,
but a limington mother blames the bacteria
on a rare disorder that attacks the
brain in her seven year old daughter.
Right now watching 7 year old
Gracie Jackson run around in the
sunshine with her mom Rebecca.
It's hard to believe that seven
months ago she was a different child.
It was like someone took
my child and replaced her.
Rebecca says that morning in
December her daughter started
experiencing facial tics,
severe OCD and bouts of rage.
She was so angry her eyes looked
different. She had dark circles.
As time went on, Gracie started regressing
in school and was severely depressed and
she said, mommy,
there's a monster in my head.
And please get me help.
She was like begging me.
Rebecca took her daughter to a specialist
who diagnosed Gracie with pediatric acute
onset neuropsychiatric syndrome or pants.
The condition affects about
one in 200 children and causes
inflammation in the brain.
Gracie was diagnosed with pans
after blood test revealed a type
of bacteria found in deer ticks.
The Centers for Disease Control
says Borrelia miyamotoi causes
relapsing fevers and is related to the
bacteria that causes Lyme disease.
That bacteria is now on the radar
of researchers at the University of
Maine Cooperative Extension Tick Lab.
We have now started testing for
Borrelia miyamotoi, which is another
pathogen that can be transmitted
by the deer tick here in Maine
still manages the umaine tick clap.
He says the number of deer ticks carrying
the bacteria is extremely small,
with an infection rate of less
than 5% compared to ticks carrying
the pathogen that causes Lyme,
which is currently around 50%.
Like many patients with tick borne illness,
Rebecca never found an
embedded tick on Gracie.
Also, no signs of a bullseye rash aches,
fever or joint pain which may
appear after initial tick bite.
But some patients don't ever have the signs.
Doctor Rebecca Morrell is a
naturopathic Doctor Who diagnosis
and treats tick borne illness.
She says if you do spot it embedded tick,
get it off as soon as possible because
the last time it's on less you
know possibility for transmission.
Depending on the symptoms.
Doctor moral.
Recommend a course of antibiotics.
Patients usually have better
outcomes of Lyme and other tick
borne infections are treated early.
Fortunately for Gracie,
nearly 80% of her symptoms improved
after antibiotic treatment
two days after the antibiotics.
It was like my child was back.
She still has some of the OCD,
but the rage was gone
since we talked to Rebecca in late spring.
Gracie has since been diagnosed with Lyme
and Bartonella, a tick borne illness.
The little girl recently started having
seizures and doctors are still trying
to determine if any of these infections,
including pans, are to blame.
Now experts recommend obviously to
do frequent tick checks on yourself,
your family, and your pets.
After spending any time outdoors
and to use an EPA registered
repellent on your clothing and
coming up tomorrow on Tick Week,
we'll take a closer look at a
different kind of tick the winter tick,
which is having a devastating impact on
adult moose and their calves in Western
Maine reporting live from Lisbon falls.
I'm Newsome remains Vivian Lee back to you.